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Introduce China Horizon 2000
(Ten years ministry 1989-1999)
VISION
China Horizon’s vision is “to address ideas and doctrines impacting the vitality and purity of the Chinese Church; and to nurture qualified servant leaders who will influence the Chinese church in the 21st century” (from our vision statement). We do this through teaching, conducting seminars and conferences, and publishing books, tapes, and on-line material to equip and challenge the Chinese church to remain faithful to God’s Word, and to become effective in the 21st century.
A PIONEER IN STRATEGIC APPROACHES (1989-1999)
China Horizon was founded in September 1989, after Tiananmen Square, to meet the spiritual needs of mainland Chinese intellectuals (PRCs) in North America. We soon discovered that leadership development and research were the key missing elements in what David Aikman calls “the most strategic mission field in the world, bar none.”
With a small trilingual team, we took the lead in using these strategic approaches in PRC ministry:
Send outstanding PRCs to seminary, including Yuan Zhiming at Reformed (Jackson); Zhijun and Esther Wang at Trinity (Illinois), who subsequently launched the first Christian magazine run by PRCs for PRCs (Christian Life Quarterly). We also supported Xiong Yan at Covenant (Extension), and Frank Wanbing Li at Reformed (Charlotte). Several agencies have set up PRC scholarship funds since then, including OMF.
Launch the first conference run by PRC seminarians and pastors for their peers.
Sponsor some of the first research projects on PRC ministry conducted by PRCs, in 1992.
Give birth to, and fund the China Service Coordinating Office, now renamed ChinaSource, which is an information center, a catalyst for partnership, and a voice representing hundreds of China ministries in North America (based in Wheaton College, Illinois).
Sponsor two bibliographies for China service agencies to support their effort to supply China’s theological libraries.
Publish a series of books about PRCs for the English speaking world, beginning with Soul Searching (September 1997). The second book on PRCs, Chinese Intellectuals and the Gospel, is now ready for printing.
Produce our first cassette album on theology (Mandarin), our first video lecture in apologetics (English), and the first series of articles for our website, in 1999.
Provide consulting services to China ministries, e.g. China Outreach Ministries (ongoing for over 6 years); International Students, Inc. (for China ’97); China Briefing, October 1996; Board of Moody Bible Institute; John Nelson in China (putting Brahms’ German Requiem in Chinese); Reformation Translation Fellowship; David C. Cook Communications; the MacLaurin Institute (Minneapolis); Norwegian Missionary Alliance; and a number of American as well as Chinese churches.
Support the birthing of Chinese Christian Internet Mission, linking Chinese Christian websites in North America with each other and with others in Asia and Europe.
A FACILITATOR
Guided by the Board of China Horizon, I have been responsible for its ministry and specifically undertaken the following:
Advise college, seminary and doctoral (dissertation) students (including PRCs), some of whom have published their works.
Mentor American-born and Asia’s Chinese leaders, often neglected by traditional Chinese church leaders, including: pastors who are mobilizing their laypeople to study and seek ways to impact culture; two law professors in Hong Kong; and an American-born Chinese seminarian in missions mobilization.
Respond to requests for advice from the American and Chinese governments.
Carry on a heavy conference speaking schedule. In June 1998 I delivered the David Adeney Memorial Lectures to PRCs in Hong Kong’s universities; in August 1999, I spoke to all the Chinese churches in Oregon, as well as all the Chinese churches in Tokyo/Yokohama, Japan; in October 1999, I spoke to the Miri Gospel Churches in Miri, Sarawak, East Malaysia; in December 1999, to the Chinese Christian Winter Conference in Banff, Alberta; and in January 2000, addressing the all-Australia Chinese congress on evangelism.
Teach at Singapore Bible College and other schools in previous years, such as Westminster Theological Seminary in California; and Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis.
Keep in touch on the grass-roots level. Currently I am consultant at an evangelism-minded church near UCLA, Chinese Bible Church of Los Angeles.
We have accomplished these, by the grace of God, with limited resources.
GOALS, 2000
We have just refocused our ministries and the following are our goals for AD 2000. It puts priority on teaching (both in person and on-line) in the Pacific Rim.
1. TEACHING
- Conduct “Christian Mind” or theology lectures:
Evangelical Formosan Church of Cerritos, Buena Park, CA, Feb. 4 – April 14.
Johore Bahru/Singapore – June 30-July 2, July 3-7.
Kuala Lumpur, West Malaysia – June 26-29.
Others as scheduled.
- Teach seminary courses:
Theological Issues in the Chinese Church – Malaysia Bible Seminary, June 26-30.
Theological Issues in the Chinese Church – Singapore Bible College, July 3-7.
Systematic Theology – Singapore Bible College, July 24-September 2.
C. Begin and teach an on-line theological course.
2. RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS
A. Continue with research project #402, “Mainland Chinese Intellectuals and Christian Theology.” Write report.
B. Publish new books and tapes as funds are available:
Sinclair Ferguson, The Christian Life: A Doctrinal Introduction (first draft of translation finished).
Christianity and Western Culture – Chinese audio and video.
1-2 new audio/video series on systematic theology and church history.
Video: Song of a Chinese Sparrow.
3. CONFERENCE MINISTRY, including providing leadership to the Chinese conference on biblical inerrancy and authority.
4. MENTORING a small number of leaders for apologetics ministry.
ORGANIZATION
Our board of reference members are:
Dr. David Aikman (former Beijing bureau chief, Time magazine);
Dr. J.I. Packer, theologian at Regent College;
Dr. Joseph Stowell, president of Moody Bible Institute;
Dr. Luder Whitlock, president of Reformed Theological Seminary;
Dr. Edmund P. Clowney, former president of Westminster Theological Seminary;
Rev. Hay-him Chan, former general secretary of CCCOWE, and senior pastor of Toronto’s North York Baptist Church;
Dr. Che Bin Tan, currently president of China Evangelical Seminary, Taipei; and
Rev. Daniel Rao, former general secretary, Campus Evangelical Fellowship, Taiwan.
Our board of trustees includes:
Mr. Winston Ling, chairman (vice-president, Tyndale Seminary, Toronto);
Elder Lee Troup (retired from Ambassadors For Christ);
Dr. Rudolf Mak (OMF);
Dr. Stewart Wu (Chinese Christian Medical Mission); and
Dr. John K. Chang (GO International); and
Dr. Yile Wang (Chinese Christian Internet Mission; Columbus, Ohio).
We have a statement of faith which is part of our by-laws. Both are available upon request.
FINANCES
China Horizon is a faith mission, a 501-c-3 non-profit organization with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, and incorporated in New York State. We depend on God’s supply and the people of God’s gifts to support our ministries. In the past I largely depended on seminary teaching and local church ministry to support myself. In the future we are moving away from this arrangement, which takes valuable time away from our priority ministries.
In 1998 the bulk of our $140,000+ income came from approximately 500 supporters. The vast majority of these are Chinese Christian individuals in North America. We are regularly supported by about a dozen churches (mostly Chinese churches). A small portion of our income comes from honoraria and the distribution of books and tapes.
In 1999 we received a matching grant challenge from the Maclellan Foundation, and matched their $50,000 with $50,000 of gifts, mostly from Chinese Christian individuals. We anticipate our income and expense to be around $170,000-$180,000 for 1999.
Our budget for 2000 is also available upon request. We are keenly conscious that we are stewards of God’s resources, and operate only at a level necessary to accomplish our goals. My wife Mildred is volunteer director of finance and administration, reporting to the board of trustees. We have two part time helpers.
CHINA HORIZON
206 E. Las Tunas Drive, Suite 2
San Gabriel, CA 91776
December, 1999